Texas' slide continues with 82-77 loss to Missouri

COLUMBIA, Mo.(AP) -- Kim English insists he doesn't pay much
attention when the home crowd collectively gasps with
anticipation each time he touches the ball.

He's also not fazed when the Missouri public-address announcer
heightens the excitement with cries of "Time for English class!"

The 6-foot-6 sophomore from Baltimore, the Tigers' leading
scorer, always keeps things in perspective - as he did Wednesday
night, when he scored 18 points to help lead Missouri to an
82-77 upset of No. 15 Texas.

"It's still a game," he said. "It's supposed to be fun."

English relied on an array of crowd-pleasing moves during an
11-point scoring flurry over six minutes early in the second
half that helped break open a tight game. He hit a 3-pointer
from the top of the key, a left-handed layup, an acrobatic
double-clutch and two free throws after he was fouled on a hard
drive.

He capped the display with an alley-oop to 6-foot-1 Michael
Dixon, who converted the shot and subsequent free throw after
being fouled. Only later did English confess that he thought his
teammate soaring to the basket was 6-foot-8 forward Laurence
Bowers.

"I didn't know it was him when I threw that pass," English said.

Keith Ramsey added 12 points and 11 rebounds for his first
career double-double for Missouri. Jordan Hamilton led the
Longhorns (20-6, 6-5) with 24 points off the bench and Damion
James added 18 points and 11 rebounds as the team ranked No. 1
for two weeks in mid-January lost for the sixth time in nine
games and fell into a sixth-place tie in the Big 12.

Missouri (19-7, 7-4) raced to an 8-0 lead in the first two
minutes as Texas turned the ball over on its first three
possessions. The gap grew to 11-1 less than three minutes in,
giving Missouri enough of a cushion to take a 32-31 halftime
lead despite shooting just 30 percent for the half and making
only one of its nine 3-point attempts.

Texas took a one-point lead early in the second half as the
teams traded points with six lead changes before English's
scoring binge. Missouri led by 12 before Texas made three
3-pointers in the final 44 seconds.

Missouri, which often relies on the 3-point shot as its primary
offensive weapon, won despite tying its season low with just two
treys on 13 attempts. The Tigers average eight 3-pointers per
game on 38 percent shooting from outside the arc.

Texas center Dexter Pittman, at 6-foot-10 the tallest player on
the court, didn't attempt a field goal and was held to just two
points and four rebounds. He spent much of the second half on
the bench in foul trouble. Pittman also had several turnovers on
traveling calls fighting through Missouri's double-team defense.

"He's playing way too fast and not getting himself ready," Texas
coach Rick Barnes said of Pittman, who came in averaging 10.8
points and 6.1 rebounds.

Ramsey, hobbled by a sprained ankle and held scoreless the past
two games, had two of his biggest rebounds on consecutive
putbacks under the four-minute mark give Missouri a comfortable
cushion. Michael Dixon added 13 points for Missouri, which moves
into a three-way tie for third place in the Big 12 with Baylor
and Texas A&M.

Texas committed 18 turnovers and attempted just two free throws
in the second half after converting eight of 17 in the first
half. The Longhorns, who made 46.2 percent of their shots
compared to 43.1 percent for Missouri, lost for the first time
this season when shooting better than their opponent.